Parolee, Police Dog Killed
Sheriff’s deputies responding to a family disturbance call in Willowbrook shot and killed a 24-year-old parolee when he reportedly whirled around with what appeared to be a weapon, authorities said Monday. They also accidentally killed a police dog that was trying to subdue the man when he turned.
Deputies from the Century station were called to a house in the 2400 block of 126th Street just after 9 p.m. Sunday.
But the suspect, Deandre Brunston, had left that house and barricaded himself on the porch of a nearby home, deputies said. He told the deputies that he had a gun and threatened to kill them, authorities said.
Deputy Glenn Emery, 34, released his dog, Marco, a 9-year-old Belgian malinois. The dog was trying to control Brunston when he spun toward them, authorities said.
What they thought was a weapon turned out to be a black sandal with a silver buckle.
Brunston, who also had an outstanding arrest warrant for narcotics, died at the scene.
The dog, shot in the head, was airlifted to a veterinary hospital in Norwalk, where it died. It was the first Sheriff’s Department dog killed in the line of duty, authorities said.
Marco and Emery, a 14-year veteran of the department, were one of 12 teams in the department’s Canine Services Detail, said Lt. Patrick Maxwell.
They had been together for six years.
More to Read
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.